Function
by Band8PGeek
Summary: When every man’s a king and every king’s a clown, do societal norms really matter?


**Title** Function  
**Series** Shakespeare's "King Lear" (or "The Tragedie of King Lear" for you Bard-buffs)  
**Pairings** None  
**Rating** G  
**Warnings** It's got spoilers for the first act or two of King Lear. It also mostly uses Shakespearian-English, so you miiiiight be unfamiliar with some words.  
**Notes** This started out as a homework assignment for my English Literature class. I know that from what I understand releasing a homework assignment as proper fanfic is a fandom no-no, but seeing as this was consciously assigned to us and fanfic was therefore expected of me, I feel a little more comfortable doing this. Not much _more_ comfortable, given that it's the Bard, but a _little_ more comfortable.  
**Disclaimer** Shakespeare =/= me. Shakespeare = owner of King Lear's characters, situations and concept (well, kinda, seeing as they were based on real characters apparently and all). Therefore me =/= owner of King Lear's characters etc. Funny how that works.  
**Summary** When every man's a king and every king's a clown, do societal norms really matter?

As a monarchy, this fair country's people all have different functions in society. Some serve the purpose of dominance, maintaining rules and scruples and making sure we keep to them. Some serve the purpose of obeying said rules, with any deviation leading to pain, or worse. Some are born to serve, others to be served.  
I'm both of those, in a sense. As esteemed majesty Lear's loyal Fool, I am bound to lavish praise on him, place him on a pedestal, make him laugh when necessary with non-sequiter folly. If I do this right, I'm held in higher regard than most in his court. Not all, but most.  
The Fool, the jester, the merry-maker - that is my function. In turn, Lear's function is to make more serious decisions - rule the kingdom, give the instructions.

At least it was. But nuncle has turned things on their heads, and nothing makes sense anymore.

Consider this, readers:

* Control of the land has been relinquished to the two daughters that he should be least trustworthy of, and the more sensible of the three has been banished.  
* The king's most revered friend, who has never steered him wrong even now, has also been cast out.  
* He has haphazardly let cats take charge of a kingdom full of mice, and set himself up as bait for both. And even with all that done, he still claims authority.  
* He demands knights and protection, and expects all to cater to his whims before immediately, turning to fury when servants do not materialize.

A king's function in society is to rule justly and fairly, if history has taught me anything. And if he is to retire at all, he should go out gracefully. In the space of two days Lear has destroyed all of those conventions.

The Fool, however, is different in most regards. He still has to conform to his function, but his function is never to question the king, only to entertain. He can't give sage advice, for that is the job of the ancient. He can't lead him to question himself, for that is the job of the family. He can't mock him, for that is the job of the man who finds no reason to keep his head linked to his shoulders.  
He - well, **I**, for the Fool and I are one and the same - can only spout songs to entertain.  
But this I don't understand. If the King has torn his function in society apart, and his unfair daughters, and the rebellious non-spontaneous servants, people like me shouldn't have to keep their status quo as well.  
I might not be able to tell him directly that his decisions are insane. Even I have my limits. But I can still guide him, gently or otherwise, in the right direction, even when it's not part of my supposed repertoire.

If nuncle is becoming foolish, foolish even as the Fool that is loyal to him, then I in turn must become the only sane person in the fiasco.  
This is my new function in society, and one that I am actually willing to keep.

"_I marvel at what kin thou and thy daughters are…I would be anything rather than a Fool, and yet I would not be thee, nuncle."  
__- The Fool, King Lear [1.4.176]_


End file.
